Comparison between ANSI/BIFMA X5.1 2011 vs 2002

New BIFMA Chair Standard

Micom Laboratories is happy to inform you that BIFMA just released its new version of BIFMA X5.1 for office chairs. The loads and forces used in this standard are based on the 95th percentile male body mass. This value went from 225 lbs, in the previous edition, to 253 lbs in the new edition and the population’s body mass increases. Your chairs will have to be re-tested for the following tests as they changed:

Base test: the stems inserted in the base to hold the casters are now required for support: the stress distribution will be changed considerably.

Swivel cycling test: Load on sample while cycling increased

Seating impact test : The drop height was increased from 25mm to 30 mm (1″ to 1.2″) which yields a higher impact force on the seat. Same test bag mass as before with some slight modification to the bag (metal ring on the top part).

Rear Stability test : New test completely different from the previous version. Similar to ISO 21015. The test is now performed using a stack of disks rather than a monolythic mass. For type III chairs the test forces applied to the highest disk varies with seat height. Results to date seems to demontrate that the test is more difficult to comply with than before for type I and II chairs.

Arm strength test – Vertical : Only pull down is now allowed; no push down. The forces were reduced from 200 to 169 lbf (functional) and from 300 to 253 lbf (proof) .

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